


What In Tarnation?

by aliceinbloom



Category: Borderlands (Video Games)
Genre: F/M, Gen, He deserves some fluff in his life, Scooter gets no love so pls have this, There also might be some fluff with other characters as well but idk yet
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-24
Updated: 2018-07-31
Packaged: 2019-06-15 20:18:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15420786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aliceinbloom/pseuds/aliceinbloom
Summary: Scooter wears his heart on his sleeve - it's got a lot of cracks however and you just manage to wedge your way into a part of it. God he's gonna hate his life since he's not good at dating. But for you? He's gonna try.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah, so, please don't judge me too hard! After doing a play through of Tales from the Borderlands is just hit me how much a great guy Scooter is! And he deserves something fluffy. I have no idea how long this fic will be but we're gonna see!

Scooter met you in Moxxi's bar. You were with a group of friends, drunk off your ass, when suddenly they started to point over at him. He hadn't been sure what was going on. At first he was sure as hell sure he was being made fun of (not that that was a new thing), but you stomped right over.  
  
Your cheeks were pink from the alcohol. "Hey-- hey I'm really sorry about this but--," and you grabbed his shirt, tugging him into a hard, yet sloppy kiss.  
He felt his heart race.  
  
No one kissed him like that before! Not even his last drunk hook up.  
  
He felt something flutter in his stomach. Now, Scooter wasn't good with reaction time but all he could do was gape at you when you pulled back. How in the world could that much fire be there? You probably hadn't felt a damn thing.  
  
But you looked just as startled as him as you stared at him, expression confused. You were drunk as a skunk but something clicked with you there too.  
"Wow," he whispered, rubbing at the side of his neck. He was goddamn starstruck.  
  
Looking away he goes to look for support from his mother, from Moxxi, and she just shrugs as she slowly rubs away at the well used bar. When he looks back he feels you moving away. Part of him wants to grab your wrist but he knows that probably wouldn't look good. You look over your shoulder once at him before going back to your friends.  
You hold out your hand before a good stack of money is placed in your hand.  
  
Of course.  
  
He pushes his hat down, slaps a ten on the table (despite what his mother says he was going to pay her for his damn beer), and bolts out of there. Of course she'd be paid to do it! He was a joke around here, wasn't he? Goddamn it.  
  
A little while later he hears his echo going off. He bregrudgingly answers it when he sees that it's Moxxi.  
  
"Hey sugar," comes the sultry voice of his mother. "Just checking in. You doing alright?"  
  
He pouts at the device, "Aw Mox... I ain't good for datin', huh?"  
  
There's a moment of silence before he can hear her clear her throat. Her voice is gentle, but stern, as it usually was, "Scooter you might come on too strong but you mean well. Now that girl who kissed you actually asked about you the minute her friends left and--"  
  
"She did!? Ho-lee shit! What'd she say?" He pushes back his hat in order to pay attention better. "C'mon Momma don't hold back!"  
  
"Now, now, patience." She clears her throat. "She asked for your digits and I gave it to her for a price."  
  
He almost sighs. Of course Moxxi would pull something like that. He taps his hand on the table he sat at. "Aw... you didn't have to make her pay."  
  
"I make silly drunks pay when they're messing with my children. Now, I did give it to her, but I wouldn't get your hopes up. She was very drunk despite everything."  
  
"Yeah, yeah, I know..."  
  
"But I informed her that if she was going to try and reach out she should be sober this time."  
  
"Moxxi! She-- you!"  
  
"Sugar I do right by my children as best as I can. Now either expect that pretty little thing to come see you or don't. I have to get going. My next batch of patrons come in at eleven tomorrow."  
  
With that the stream goes dead. He stares down at it like his mind was just blown to bits. His Momma had been his wingman! That girl was interested! But... she'd been so drunk and confused by her own damn actions that was sure she'd ignore him the next time they came in contact. He rubs a hand over his face. Scooter knows he's not what people consider dating material or acttractive but... he means well.  
  
He goes to bed with a headache later that night.  
  
The next day he doesn't hear from you.  
  
And then the next day.  
  
He starts to give up hope by the end of the week until a shy voice creeps up over his tools working. At first he thinks it's just his imagination ( he hated to admit that he heard voices when he got lonely ), but after you call out a second time he stops.  
  
"H-Hey! Excuse me? You're Scooter, right?"  
  
When he turns around he's absolutely in shock. You were the girl from the bar! And damned if the light from behind didn't give him the impression that you were... really pretty. Messy curls were tugged back into a bun while you basically looked like you rolled out of bed - old jeans and a loose fitting t-shirt hung off your shoulder. You held onto an incredibly work out Maliwan bag that had patches here or there. It seemed that the tighter clothes you wore out to the bar last week were just because of your friends.  
  
He raises his hat, trying to keep the excitement off his face. "Th' one and only! What can I do yah fer, darlin'?"  
  
"Oh-- uh-- you see," you gripped at your bag harder. Your cheeks are red as a tomato at this point. "Moxxi gave me your address to your shop and told me to come see you when I wasn't so drunk and I-- I-- well here I am! I just... I wanted to apologize for doing that to you back there. I was dared... I was dared to give someone a kiss and you looked the least 'I'll kill you' and uhm. Yeah! Yeah. I just."  
  
You went onto ramble a bit more before looking away. Scooter can't help but let out a small laugh, rubbing at the side of his neck. He was just in too much shock that a girl was willingly seeking him out. Here he was feeling sorry for himself and there you were being awkward, trying to apologize for being so drunk.  
  
"-- and I thought you were cute so I wanted to ask if you wanted to hang out?"  
  
He chokes on his spit.  
  
You what?  
  
"Can-- can you repeat that?," he asks, voice higher than usual, eyes wide with shock.  
  
"Do you want to hang out? I understand if you don't want to but I feel like I should get to know you since you seem to like cars too and--"  
  
"Hell yeah! Whens you wanna do it?"  
  
Now your eyes are wide, biting at your lower lip. "How... about tomorrow night? I would spend time with you now but I have to finish up some work Roland needs so--"  
  
"I'm good with that. I'll uh-- or you can come back here? I can shut up shop for a night. Hows about seven?"  
  
"That sounds good." You smile and he just notices how pretty your eyes are too. "I'll try not to dress like a hobo."  
  
God he was already smitten. "I'm sure whatever you'll wear is gonna be perfect."  
  
You laugh, "Thanks. I'll uhm... I'll see you tomorrow."  
  
As you leave he starts to bounce on his feet. Scooter hollers in his excitement before he rushes to grab his echo. His sister was going to have to help him out with this. She'd had so many boyfriends and girlfriends that he was sure she'd be his best bet!


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ellie gives some advice.

Ellie already knew that Scooter had a date before she even picked up her Echo. He was speaking a mile a minute in excitement. She knew it was difficult for him to date anyone because he was... well, he was too much. Scooter was in your face the minute he decided he adored you.   
  
So why in the hell were you going on a date with him?   
  
Ellie could only guess but she didn't want to ruin Scooter's excitement. You'd just have to figure it out on your own.   
  
"Scooter--"   
  
"Aw hell Ellie she is so beautiful! Real curly hair and gorgeous skin and--"   
  
"Scooter."   
  
"And she likes me! Can you believe that? Last girl I was interested in went off to live with Rats!"   
  
"SCOOTER HODUNK WILL YOU SHUT YOUR GODDAMN PIEHOLE!"   
  
She can hear him squeak on the other side. She's also sure he's dropped the echo since she'd heard him pacing with it. Sighing she clears her throat in an attempt to keep her temper at bay. Ellie can't be that annoyed with him when he's clearly excited about you being interested in him.   
  
"Scooter, now, listen to me for a second. This girl likes you for whatever reason and you are not gonna screw it up, you hear me? Now the first thing you're gonna do is knock is down a few notches. You are way too hyper."   
  
"Okay, chill out. What else?"   
  
Ellie rubs at her chin, leaning back against the window sill. Faintly she can hear the whoop and holler of a bandit technical rush past her shop. "Take a shower, wear _deodorant_ , and make sure you brush your teeth. Also don't talk about girls you used to be into. Girls don't like any talk of past crushes or lovers. I would know, I killed my last one for it." She laughs at that. Sighing she perks up. "Oh! And make little comments here or there. Like, on her outfit or her shoes. Just not sexual."   
  
Part of her is sure he's taking notes. He's really bad at dating, having not had the proper chance to do it since he was always a little off his rocker. Plus he was just too obsessed with his cars to actually do anything properly. Sure she's aware he's had a few hook ups but they never turned into anything else.   
  
She can just hear the smile on the other end, "Hey Ellie? Girl, thank you. I ain't ever been on a real date before so this is hella exciting. I just hope I don't screw up because like... she is a real nice person. You know she apologized for kissing me? I ain't take no offense to it but still. Good person."  
  
"I'm glad I could help give yah some, Scooter. Now you go clean up an' if you have to go buy a new pair a jeans and a shirt to wear for your date. Don't get a suit. That would make you look like a nerd."   
  
"You're the nerd!," comes the huff of a reply. "Alright I gots to go! I need to clean up an' all that. Haven't shaved in a few days..."  
  
"Yeah, yeah, goodbye."  
  
The lines blips off. Ellie can't help but think of how bad this was going to go. God her brother was probably going to screw this up! But she had to have some faith. If you liked him maybe there was something else Ellie wasn't seeing. Sitting back she hums before she grabs out a pair of binoculars. Her hearing was way too good for her to not miss out on this particular sputter of an engine.

Ah shit of _course_ one of her inbred cousins was coming this way. She sighs. Time to do some damage control.


End file.
